Too Good To Be True
by Omoni
Summary: A tongue-in-cheek look at Zuko's first year as Fire Lord. There are so many wonderful epics rich with intrigue and darkness in them...so I decided to take on a different perspective.
1. Lazy Days

It was probably one of the most shocking moments in his life when he heard the words, "Oh. Yes. That's fine."

Fire Lord Zuko, seated on the dais, stared with a bemused expression on his face. He had been Fire Lord for a little over two weeks, and this was his first real council meeting as ruler of the Fire Nation. Seated to his right was Mai, and seated to his left was Aang.

And from the way they both suddenly sat up straighter, they, too, were just as shocked.

The fateful words were spoken by the governor who had main dominion over the Northern Air Temple. Zuko had stated, flatly, that now that the war was over, the temple was to be given over to those who had been there first, and only those of the Fire Nation who had no intention of lording over them could stay.

He had said this very sternly and sat very tense, feeling a bead of cold sweat slide down between his shoulder blades. He was never really good at dealing with confrontation, and he knew that, while it was best to get it over with, the worst of the negotiations was yet to come.

But, no. The governor actually _agreed _with him.

"Uh," Aang broke in, probably realising that Zuko was struck dumb by this. "So...you're okay with leaving the temple, Governor Muno?"

Muno, a middle-aged woman who wore the armour of a celebrated rank within the militia, stood with the air of confidence that most women of her experience had. Her eyes, however, belied this bravado and betrayed her, their light dim and tired. She nodded slowly. "Yes, Avatar Aang," she agreed. "My men and women will be happy to stand down. We would like your word that the families can stay as settlers, however."

Zuko broke in, his voice hard again. "As long as you don't make trouble for the people already there," he answered. "If I discover that there is so much of a whiff of animosity, I will ensure that_ no one_ of the Fire Nation sets foot there again."

"Zuko," Mai muttered, rolling her eyes. "Kill the drama. She just agreed. Relax."

Zuko understood. He really did. He just felt somewhat off kilter from the answer. If she agreed so easily, didn't that mean that there was a catch of some kind? Or that there was something he had to watch out for?

"Fire Lord?" Muno was speaking. He blinked, coming back to himself.

"Yes," he nodded, referring to her request. "That is fine."

Muno smiled, and this time it reached her eyes. "Wonderful. You will be assured, Fire Lord, that all military forces will be vacated from the Northern Air Temple before Winter Solstice."

Just like that.

* * *

In Ba Sing Se, surrounded by his friends and family, Zuko shared his feelings in hopes of being comforted.

"Should I be worried, Uncle?" Zuko wondered, his eyes flashing under messy hair. "Should I be paranoid that Muno was so willing to give up so easily?"

Iroh opened his eyes, halting his long inhale of his tea. His face was the epitome of bewilderment. "Zuko," he said, "are you complaining that things are going _too well_?"

Zuko's hands went to his hair, tugging in frustration. Mai reached over the table and slapped his hands away, and he grimaced. "No," he protested, unable to keep the faint whine out of his voice. "It's not that...it's just..."

Toph raised her hand. "Oh, I know," she said, wearing a grin that spoke of her pure enjoyment of the situation. "You were looking for more _drama_."

Mai snickered and Zuko seemed to snap. "No, that's _not_ what it is!" he shouted.

Sokka reached over and flicked him on his unburnt ear, bringing a yelp from him. "You worry too much," he observed. He threw his other arm around Suki, who sipped her tea in careful indifference. "Not _everything_ is all about cloak and dagger and getting you out of the way."

"Sokka, they laughed when I burned to death in that play!" Zuko spat, throwing his arms out. "Of _course_ they don't want me around anymore!"

Katara looked away uneasily, something Zuko caught. When his eyes flicked to hers, she blushed. "Um," she stammered. "I sorta...laughed a little when it happened."

"_WHAT?!"_

Everyone but Toph and Iroh winced. Toph just started laughing, and Iroh merely started inhaling the bouquet of his tea again.

"Well," Aang broke in, trying to look charming (and failing). "It was _kind _of funny, don't you think?"

Sokka leapt to his feet and started flailing his arms. "Honouuuur!" he moaned, drawing out the word as long as he could while slowly sinking to the ground. It, unfortunately, brought more laughs, and this time not just from Toph.

Zuko groaned and buried his head into his arms. "It's _not _funny!" he growled, his voice muffled.

Mai's hand went into his hair, gently tugging on it. He grunted, so she leaned over. "You're being a baby," she said plainly. "Propaganda is like honey to some people. Once you're suckered, you don't even think about it anymore. Stop taking it personally."

"She's right," Iroh agreed with closed eyes. "You saw how the people listened to you, Nephew. You saw how they were happy. While some, I'm sure, are disappointed that they are without the excuse to punish innocent people, most are thrilled that they will not have to worry about seeing their loved ones ever again."

A sombre silence followed these words. Zuko peeked over his arms, his eyes a little softer. "So," he said, his voice shockingly soft. "You don't think they hate me? I mean...they were so loyal to my father, and..."

Mai's hand jerked, pulling on his hair hard. He yelped and batted at her hand, but she didn't let go. To his surprise, everyone else wore the same expression: that of annoyance. Well, except Suki, who was still trying to be indifferent about it (he promised to ask her about that later).

"_What?!_" he demanded.

Aang grinned, his eyes moving from one person to the next. "You know what I think this means, guys?"

Katara smirked, and Sokka leapt up from the ground and threw out his arms. "_GROUP HUG!_" he shouted, lunging at Zuko and throwing his arms around him so hard that they both collapsed to the ground together.

Toph jumped up, sailed over the table, and crashed into the two boys, bringing a shout from Zuko and a laugh from Sokka. Aang shortly followed with a giggle.

Suki, Mai, and Katara stared at eachother. Katara shrugged, set her tea down, and then smiled brightly and followed suit.

Iroh was laughing so hard he was hunched over, especially when Zuko's shouts became screams laced with threats and swearing.

Mai gestured to the pile. "Don't you want in on that?" she wondered.

Suki shook her head, smiling. "Watching is enough for me."

A brown hand shot out and grabbed Suki's ankle, yanking hard. With a shout, Suki was dragged from her chair and into the pile by Sokka, who landed a kiss on her nose when she fell on him.

Mai sipped her tea calmly, not bothering to come to Zuko's rescue. This was too amusing.

Needless to say, it cheered him up, in its own bizarre way.

* * *

This was the meeting Zuko had been dreading.

"Now, we must discuss Omashu," he said, his voice catching on the word a little. He and Mai had discussed this night before over dinner, and while she was for giving Omashu back (officially, since, despite Bumi's extraction of the Fire Nation occupation, it was still a colony on the roster), she was also a little bitter about giving up her home to her family again.

"Don't mind me," she said with a lazy smile. "I've just gotten used to being on my own and am incredibly spoiled. It'll be weird to see them again, and an adjustment, but I'll get used to it."

Zuko opened his mouth, a flurry of words on his tongue, but he hastily stuffed it with food instead. It could wait, and waiting would make it much sweeter.

Now faced with the task of actually making Omashu officially its own, he was somewhat intimidated. Standing before him was Mai's father, and while he didn't look mistreated, he certainly looked exhausted.

Beside him, in complete and loud glory, was Bumi, munching on a piece of jenamite and occasionally asking personal questions of the men and women around him.

When Zuko's words soaked in, Bumi spoke. "This is a good idea, Fire Lord," he agreed. "Did you know that, out of the entire Earth Kingdom, Omashu is the only city with its own special mail system?"

A bewildered silence followed these words, but it was broken when Aang said, "Do we ever!" with the biggest grin on his face.

Bumi grinned back, deciding that Aang was the only one worth his attention at the moment. "And did you know, Aang, that it was my great-aunt Duvi that invented them?"

Aang leaned forward. "You never told me this!"

"Uh, Zuko?" Mai whispered. "Relevance?"

Zuko blinked, her words snapping him out of his reverie. "Right. Yes," he agreed. "Omashu is one of the jewels of the Earth Kingdom; I think we can all agree on this."

"Quite literally," Bumi agreed, peppering the words with a cackle and a snort (one that Aang found himself joining in).

"Right," Zuko tried again, not missing the sea of shocked and dazed faces surrounding the dais. "As I was saying, the unique culture of Omashu should be preserved, and it can only be done so if given back to its rightful ruler." His eyes fell on Mai's father, and he swallowed, almost losing his nerve. "You are the governor of Omashu in the Fire Nation's name, under my father's regime. Now that he has fallen, the regime has fallen with him. I have decided that Omashu does not need Fire Nation influence any longer." He swallowed again. "You must leave and come back to ensure that Omashu is in peace."

"And not in _pieces_," Bumi agreed. "Although it almost ended up that way when trying to get your stink buildings out of there!"

Mai's father looked at Bumi for a moment, then turned to Zuko. "I respect your wishes, Fire Lord Zuko, and will do as you say." And to Zuko's amazement, he smiled and looked right into his eyes, actual pride plain on his face. "It would be an honour to return to the Fire Nation capitol and serve under your rule." He placed his hands before him and bowed low and respectfully.

Zuko was struck dumb once more, the second time that week. That was _not_ the way he had pictured it would happen.

Bumi decided to use the silence to his advantage. "Did you know, Aang, that while I was alone in Omashu, I invented a whole new way to use the mail system?"

Aang's face lit up excitedly. "I would love to see it!"

"Wow," Mai said, her voice emotionless. Zuko found himself sharing the sentiment.

* * *

"But, Zuko, isn't that good news?" Katara wondered. "I mean, that had to be the easiest one yet."

Zuko grabbed a fritter and glared at it. "Yes, it was easy," he grumbled. "_Too_ easy."

"You know, this is what probably made your sister go crazy," Toph answered casually, her finger currently exploring the mysteries of her nasal passage. "She thought everyone was out to get her, too, remember?"

"No, I think Azula was crazy years before she became Fire Lord," Sokka shook his head. "I think it's a family thing."

Iroh frowned. "What does that say about _me_?"

"You're different!" Sokka held out his hands. "You're much cooler, and thus exempt!"

Iroh sniffed a little. "I should hope so."

Aang tilted his head to one side. "Was Azula crazy before or after her coronation?"

Mai sipped her tea, her eyes downcast. "Before."

Zuko was about to shout at them to shut up about his sister and focus back on him, when he caught Suki looking down at her tea, sending a sudden flash of frustration through him. "Why don't you _ever_ say anything?" he snapped at her, scaring her into jumping.

She regained her composure fast enough, and her eyes went icy. "What could I possibly have to say about this?" she wondered.

"_Anything_!" Zuko answered. Their words sent everyone else into a stunned silence. "You_ must_ have an opinion!"

"Actually, I _don't_."

"Of course you do," Sokka broke in, nudging her shoulder. "You said it the other day, something about how it always gets quiet before a storm?"

Suki's hand went to her forehead and she winced.

Zuko stared. "You said that?"

Shamefaced, she nodded. "Yes."

Zuko suddenly smiled, scaring the daylights out of her. "Thank you, yes!" he exclaimed, reaching out and grabbing onto her wrists, almost forcing her into dropping her tea. "Exactly! That's what I've been saying all along!" He dropped her hands and sat back down, sighing deeply in relief.

Suki blushed, looking down at her tea. "I don't mean it in a way that you should look over your shoulder all of the time, Zuko," she added. "What I meant was that it's not always going to be easy, and, well, it could be a front. Things are easy for a while, and then when you least expect it, they sweep in."

Aang said what everyone was thinking. "That's kind of depressing, Suki."

She looked away. "This is why I didn't want to say anything."

Sokka threw his arms around her and hugged her close. "Aw, it's so great when _you're_ the cynical one!" he gushed.

Her fist flew out and slammed into his gut, and he yelped and jumped back. She met Zuko's gaze. "I'm not saying, 'be scared'. I'm saying, 'be vigilant'."

Zuko nodded. "I know." And he did. It was a huge comfort, hearing his own thoughts from an accomplished warrior and leader of an elite force. It made him feel less paranoid, oddly.

"Well, I don't think you have anything to worry about," Katara spoke up. "I mean, it's been three weeks. Don't you think someone would have tried something by now?"

* * *

"Fire Lord Zuko! I have come to challenge you to an Agni Kai!"

On his right side, Mai tensed. Zuko shook his head once, and he held a hand up, halting his soldiers from coming forward. The man standing before the dais was Fire Nation, about as average as they came. He had managed to get through during the request period, when anyone could request an audience with the Fire Lord and air their grievances. It was something that was demolished when Sozin took the throne, but Zuko decided to reinstate it in order to stay connected to his people.

_Even the morons,_ he thought acidly.

Zuko sat calmly, not even twitching at the man's words. "When I became Fire Lord, did you not hear me state that my first official mandate was the banishment of the Agni Kai?"

The man balked a little, and Zuko had to swallow a groan; apparently he had _not_. "Er...I still challenge you!"

"Fine," Zuko stood up slowly, finding it hard not to roll his eyes. Mai's hand shot out and grabbed his, her face full of fear, but he shook his head slowly. A smile spread to his lips, and he walked forward and off the dais, standing before the man only a few feet away.

"No firebending," Zuko said. "Hand-to-hand. You have as many shots as you please. If you best me, whatever you want is yours."

From the corner of his eye, he saw Mai lean back and cross her arms, her face a careful mask of indifference. However, he knew her well enough to see the amused light in her eyes; she knew what was coming.

The man looked like he just got everything he wanted for his birthday. He smiled, reached to his side, and pulled out two daggers, dipping into a stance.

Zuko merely stood there, his hands at his sides, waiting. Inside, his heart was racing; he was a little afraid that this man would call his bluff and firebend anyway, but from the looks of it, maybe not.

When the man lunged forward with a scream, swinging the swords in a flurry of complicated moves, Zuko couldn't keep the smile from spreading wider. He leaned to the right, balanced his weight on his foot, and pushed himself out of range. The man sailed harmlessly past with a shout of dismay.

Zuko stood straight once more, his hands at his sides. The man looked affronted. With an unnecessarily rude word, he dashed forward again.

This time, as he leaned away, Zuko shot out a hand, crooked two fingers to the side, and drove his fingers into the man's solar plexus. He wheezed, dropped the daggers, and skidded to the ground face-first, sliding a little before stopping.

He didn't get up, too dazed to gather his wits.

Mai stood up slowly, clapping a couple of times. Zuko grinned, flourishing a bow in her direction. Behind him, his soldiers came forward and dragged the man away, but he didn't hear it. His eyes were on Mai, on her smile, and he smiled back.

* * *

With a few more clumsy attempts, Zuko decided to get to the bottom of it. It was laughable, these people that had been hired, and it was almost as if there was no real seriousness in it at all.

So much, in fact, that it was Azula that he visited first.

It wasn't the first time he had come to visit her. He tried to make it there once a week, although sometimes he found it difficult to do so. Seeing her in the state she was in, so broken and distraught, frayed something deep down inside of him. It was even worse when, on his last visit, he was asked to limit his appearances to once a month, since it was evident that seeing him brought more rage than help.

This time, he dressed like he used to in the Earth Kingdom, complete with unassuming clothing and shaggy hair. He didn't want to intimidate her, or set her off. He didn't even want to make her angry. He just wanted to know what was going on, and who was behind it.

Carefully, he let himself into the room, feeling the eyes of the attendants burning into the back of his neck. He knew that his presence annoyed them, but it was hard to care.

Azula sat calmly, looking clean and well-kept. Her eyes flicked over to him like they always did, for a second, then moved away.

But then they moved back and met his gaze. Her face, usually a mask of careful expressionless boredom, changed into something of interest, like curiosity. "Zuzu," she said softly.

"Azula," he replied, not even bothering to rise up to the bait. The fact that she was baiting him made it a little easier. She hadn't done that since she was brought here.

She stood up slowly, her movements very slow and careful. "Fire Lord Zuzu," she said, ending it with a faint giggle.

Zuko felt his stomach clench a little. She still wasn't all there. It disappointed him, despite everything. "I'm not here as Fire Lord, Azula," he said slowly, his voice monotone. "I'm here just as your brother."

"Okay," Azula nodded once, her hands going up into her hair. It was plaited, to keep it out of the way, and she toyed with the end of it idly. "What do you want?"

"I want to know if anyone has come to talk to you lately. Anyone outside of myself."

Azula's eyes flicked to the side, and her mouth tightened. "Those _traitors_," she answered, sitting back down on her cot. "_They_ came by."

Mai and Ty Lee, Zuko translated. He knew that already. "Anyone else?"

She shook her head. "No one wants to see me, and it's just as well," she snapped, her eyes flashing. "They're all traitors, just like you and Uncle."

Zuko lowered his head. "Okay." He turned to go, then hesitated, looking over his shoulder. She wasn't looking at him. "You're alright, right?" he wondered.

Azula snorted out a laugh. "They treat me well, if that's what you mean," was her startlingly clear answer. "But it's not helping. I still hate them."

He nodded, looking away. Then he left, his heart heavier within his chest.

* * *

Ozai's explosive laugh forced Zuko to wince and almost cover his ears from the sheer volume of it. It was sudden, and in reply to his son's question, and while there was a bitter quality to it, Zuko had the distinct feeling that he was actually laughing for real.

When the laugh died out and Ozai was wiping the tears from his eyes, Zuko took in a breath, held it, then let it out, trying to regain his calm. Unlike with his sister, he dressed to the gums in full Fire Lord regalia for his father, hoping to intimidate him into telling the truth. Instead, well...

"That's _not_ an answer," Zuko snapped.

"It's the only answer that's worthy of such a question," was Ozai's reply, his eyes glittering in the dim lighting. "It's damned impossible for anyone to come here, even if they _wanted _to. And _no one_ wants to. Once the word got out that your friend the Avatar worked his freakish bending on me and rendered me powerless, no one would have anything to do with me."

"Not for lack of trying," Zuko growled, sensing the unspoken words in his father's voice.

"Yes," Ozai admitted. "Not for lack of trying." He looked right into Zuko's eyes, and even after all of this time, they still had the power to make him feel afraid and small. "No, if anyone wants to take your life, they're doing it on their own."

Zuko opened his mouth to speak further, to ask more questions, to repeat questions that were left unanswered. Instead, fuelled by the anger he felt at still being afraid, he turned on his heel and stormed out of the prison, never once looking back.

* * *

Mai stroked Zuko's hair slowly, her other hand holding open the book that she read idly. Her back was propped up against a bunch of pillows in his bed, snuggled under a bunch of covers. Zuko himself was draped across the bed horizontally, his head in her lap, his arms crossed over his chest. He wore a sour expression on his face.

"I don't _get_ it," he muttered.

"Mm," Mai replied, her eyes not leaving the book.

"I mean, I don't get why this kind of thing is happening."

"Mmhm."

Zuko raised his hands in the air indignantly. "First everything seems fine, eerily fine, without any cause for worry. And then, all of a sudden, when I think that the world is making sense again, it turns out that it's still bizarre and almost a farce!"

"Mmmhmm..."

Zuko's arms dropped and he looked up at her, scowling. "Mai, you aren't even listening to me!"

Mai sighed loudly, lowering the book. "Blah blah blah, something about being killed," she answered, rolling her eyes.

Zuko narrowed his eyes. "That's _not_ what I said."

She leaned down and glared back at him. "Zuko, listen; you whine about everything being to good to be true, and then when you're proven right, you whine about how even _that_ is too good to be true! Why don't you just accept it for what it is, and stop looking for phantoms?"

Zuko's face softened; it usually did when Mai was this close to him. "What do you mean?"

The stroking of his hair resumed, the soft gestures proving the harder words false. "You're too stupid for the throne; did I ever tell you that?"

"Yes," he answered flatly. "What phantoms?"

Mai bookedmarked her page, set the book aside, and placed both hands into his hair. "Your whole life has been spent on the run, first _for_ your father, then _from _him, right?"

Zuko closed his eyes, from both the pain of the reality and the feel of her touch. He nodded.

"So, once things actually calm down and you start thinking that maybe you can relax, you start looking for things that aren't there," she went on. "Like assassins that can aim, which is obviously not reality."

He chuckled a little, and she smiled, glad that she made him laugh. "You need to relax, and stop expecting the world to hate you. You're _not_ your stupid father. You're _you_."

Zuko didn't say anything. He rolled over on his side and nuzzled his face into her thigh, shutting his eyes tight. She leaned in and kissed his ear gently. "Now shut up so that I can ignore you and read my book."

He laughed, the sound muffled but real, and she ended up joining in.


	2. Lazy Years

In the year that the flurry of assassination attempts happened, only one got close enough to bring Zuko real fear, and it was a fluke; the woman trying had tripped on her robes and teetered over with her arms flailing so violently that the sword she held nicked him on the shoulder and neck.

Mai had decided to end the entire debacle with a flurry of shuriken and a very rude word. The assassin didn't get hurt, but she was definitely not going to try that again for a long time.

On the anniversary of his coronation, Zuko woke up feeling some trepidation. If anything was going to seriously happen, surely they would pick _this_ day above all to do something.

_But then, it's also going to be an incredible day,_ he thought, looking over at who shared his bed with him. Mai slept on, her face partially obscured by her long black hair loose from their knots. Impulsively, he reached forward and brushed his fingertips over her pale cheek.

It had taken alot, but over the course of the year, Mai had convinced her parents that not only, at sixteen, was she finally an adult, she was also no longer under their, what she called, "jurisdiction". And as a result, she was moving in with Zuko, and that was that.

There was a horrible period of time that was spent in shocked silence (especially since Zuko hadn't been warned of this announcement). It was only broken when Tom-Tom crawled over to Zuko and shoved a finger into his left eye, forcing a yelp of pain from him.

Mai told him later that privately, her mother said it was fine, but not to talk about that kind of thing in front of her father ever again.

Now, from his touch, Mai shifted in her sleep, a small sigh escaping her. His fingers slid into her hair, caressing the long locks slowly while untangling some of the knots. A small smile played on her lips. "Mm," she murmured, her eyes staying closed. "Happy coronation day, you silly prince."

Zuko snuck closer, pressing himself right up against her, and she looped her arms around his waist, burying her face into his shoulder sleepily. He closed his eyes, inhaling her scent deeply, wondering if he could just skip the whole day and spend it in bed with her, eating nothing but fruit tarts.

And suddenly all of his hard-earned plans flew out the window on impulse. "Mai, marry me," he blurted out into her hair.

"Mm," she replied. "Okay."

Zuko jolted, then pushed himself away. He looked down at her, his heart racing so fast that he thought it would burst, and saw that her eyes were open and shining. "What took you so long, stupid?" she finished, smiling wider.

Any words he was going to say died in his throat, and to his embarrassment, he felt his eyes start to fill. Mai leaned in close, kissing his eyes gently, and that did it. In a split second, he pulled her to him and kissed her, long and hard. She chuckled against his lips and scooted closer, kissing back.

Both were late to the celebrations that morning.

* * *

"To Zuko!" Sokka slurred, thrusting his arm up as high as he could. "The crankiest Fire Lord in the history of the world!"

Zuko glowered, especially when everyone within the teahouse raised their glasses and replied, "To Zuko!"

The Jasmine Dragon was full of most of the people that Zuko had met on his travels in a private party ("I have to see politicians every day," Zuko had grumbled, "I'm _not_ going to spend the entire day putting up with them. I want my own celebration!"), made just for him and the people closest to him.

At the top of the list was, of course, Aang. He brought Katara, Sokka, and Suki (who was followed by Ty Lee). Toph, who was already in the area, was invited by both Aang and Iroh. She had been traveling with Haru, Teo and The Duke, and as a result, they, too, came along. Iroh had, against Zuko's will, invited his former naval crew, but only Ji showed up, which actually surprised him; he had always assumed that Ji loathed him.

"Man," Toph said, her feet propped up casually on of the tables. She had shunned the whiskey and instead sipped some of Iroh's best tea, her small face lit with a huge grin. "Has it been a year? It feels like it's been centuries."

"Eons, really," Katara piped in. "Millennia."

"Yeah!" Sokka burst out, his cheeks bright red. "A billion years of jerkbending!"

Zuko glowered at them. "This isn't 'Make Fun Of Zuko' day!" he shouted, finally losing his temper. "You're supposed to be having fun _with_ me, not _at my expense_!"

"S'more fun out way," Sokka shot back. "Stop being a Jerk Lord."

Suki reached over and placed her hand on his forehead. He smiled, then yelped when she shoved him away and onto the floor. "Be nice!" she snapped, her cheeks also pink. "He's giving us free food!"

Ty Lee bounced over to where Zuko, Mai, and Iroh were sitting and thrust a hand into his hair, ruffling it affectionately. Over his growls of protest, she said, in a cheerful voice void of any sarcasm, "We're so proud of you, Zuko! This is amazing!"

Zuko grumbled, trying to smooth out his hair, muttering something about "that still being similar to having fun at my expense," which everyone else ignored.

Aang, who had been sitting quietly beside Katara, suddenly leapt to his feet and declared, "Let's play a game!"

Ji guffawed, sipping his whiskey. "A game, and Zuko? Not happening."

Zuko made a face. "I know how to have fun!" he protested.

"Prove it!" Aang challenged. "Name a game to play, and we'll play it!"

Zuko struggled, and over the course of perhaps ten minutes was unable to think of a good game, which resulted in a horrible chain of instant mockery on his behalf. Even Iroh had joined in on it.

While a major part of him was horrified at being the centre of attention, the bigger part, the one deep down, was actually thrilled. For most of his life he had been forced to be a loner, with only the occasionally companion at his side. He had never had any real friends his age before (discounting Mai and Ty Lee, whom he had always viewed as Azula's friends over his), and now that he was actually, literally, surrounded, by people who not only liked him, but really seemed to love him…it made him feel like everything that had been _before_ was – almost - worth it.

* * *

It was almost dawn when the party finally dispersed. Most of Zuko's friends were sleeping on the floor of the Jasmine Dragon. Surprisingly, the first one to nod off was Sokka, and the last was Aang, which was the complete opposite of what was thought to happen (and it also resulted in Zuko losing money to Mai).

Zuko and Mai stayed in Iroh's apartments above the teashouse, in Zuko's old room. It was small for two people, but Iroh didn't even bat an eye when Zuko glanced at him sheepishly, then sort of eye-pointed to Mai. Once they curled up in the small bed, they were both asleep in a flash, exhausted from the long day of celebration and rich food.

Zuko awoke the comforting and familiar smell of jook cooking. He slid from the bed, replaced the blankets over Mai, and walked out into the kitchen, following his nose over to the stovetop where Iroh stood stirring a huge pot.

"What time is it? Zuko wondered.

Iroh smiled and placed a hand on his shoulder lightly. "Past noon."

Zuko winced. "That can't be good." He peered at the pot, the smell making him hungrier by the second. "I'm starving," he admitted.

"I'm not surprised," Iroh replied. "Nor am I unprepared. Everyone else is already waking up downstairs. Jook is simple, but…" and here his eyes twinkled. "It's also fantastic hangover food."

Zuko crossed his arms over his chest. "And certainly we need it."

Iroh chuckled. "A fitting start to your second year as Fire Lord, Nephew."

Zuko shifted a little, lowering his eyes. Iroh knew that look anywhere, and without hesitation he reduced the heat on the pot, placed an arm around his nephew and led him to the table, sitting down with him. "What is your concern?" he asked gently.

Zuko exhaled, a great gust of a sigh that seemed to make him smaller as well. "It's like this," he said softly, his eyes fixed on the table. "I know I've been trying my best, and I know that things could be much worse, but…"

Iroh nodded slowly. "But you fear that the worst is yet to come."

Zuko looked up, his eyes wavering a little. "Yes. And even though I'm just looking for trouble, I can't shake it."

Iroh nodded slowly. "There's being vigilant, and then there's being paranoid."

Zuko propped his chin on his hand. "That's exactly what Suki said.

"You should take her advice. She may be younger than you, but she also has had her share of trouble. She knows."

"And…" Zuko's eyes darkened. "He still won't tell me."

Iroh's eyes narrowed. "Your mother."

The younger man nodded, gritting his teeth. "He keeps saying thing like, 'she'll be found when she wants to be,' and 'what makes you think I know or care?' It's infuriating! He _knows_, he _has_ to know!"

Iroh frowned thoughtfully. "Maybe he doesn't, Zuko."

"What?" That stopped him cold, his eyes widening.

"Maybe he's telling the truth; maybe he's just as confused as the rest of us about where she is."

"But that's impossible," Zuko said, his voice sounding a bit helpless. "He's the one that banished her. He's the one that made her go away."

Iroh placed a hand on his in comfort. "But once she left the Fire Nation, she no longer was of his concern."

Zuko lowered his head. "I hate him, and I hate how his shadow is in the way of everything I do," he muttered.

"Zuko," Iroh said softly, giving his hand a squeeze. "You must learn to let it go. Only when you open the cage door will the bird flap its wings and soar to freedom. You cannot allow Ozai to rule you from the sidelines. He has no power over you any longer."

Zuko was silent for a long time. When he looked up, his unburned eye was wet. "I know, you're right," he agreed. "It's just…hard."

"Yes, but you are not alone."

The younger man smiled. He opened his mouth, but the sound of the floor grating underneath them and a chorus of yells and cursing interrupted him. This was followed by another shout, another grating noise, and a slight tremor that reverberated through the entire teashop.

Zuko laughed, shaking his head. "I guess I'm not."


End file.
